Chapter 8 – He wants my body, but as long as I am allowed to live in his mansion it’s okay, I guess.

“Ahh~”, I leaned back.

After an adventure the best thing to do would of course be taking a bath. It was quite hot but the high temperature was actually really comforting.

Then something touched me underwater.

Air bubbles rose to the water surface.

Raven rose from the water and looked at me.

“Seeing you this way, makes me really happy, Master Nathan.” He got dangerously close to me.

“Stop calling me Master, dumbass,” I scolded him.

“But master …” he twisted in an exaggerated way. He was well-built. Slim but muscular.

“You’re now the master of this mansion, and therefore I shall be your servant!” he definitely was too excited about this fact.

“The spell that hit Raven must have been a love charm.” I remembered Aster saying this.

“That’s why he attacked his sister,” Princess Abc figured. “He tried to protect you.”

At that time we had already reached the police station and Ebony got incarcerated. Shelly was still unconscious but thanks to some healers we were able to wake her up.

“Please don’t arrest me, I don’t want to get separated from my little Nathan!” was what Raven said after Shelly woke up. I was neutral to this. I mean he was somewhat of a dangerous criminal but at the same time he would make a useful … subordinate. And since I was just merely about to understand this world it would be good to have someone fighting for me. That’s why I decided to put in a good word for him.

And that’s how I ended up the owner of Dementia Mansion.

It was located in the eastern part of the city. To provide some better orientation: The police office was located in the central part of the city, while Ataraxia Academy took up the whole northern district.

The mansion's property also involved a large Japanese style bath house. You probably wouldn’t consider it Japanese in this world, but for me that’s the best way to describe it. It also contained a hot spring which we were using right now. Since it was near the end of July, at least in my world (I still have to figure out, how time works here) it was warm outside. Even though it was almost midnight.

“Well, I guess I’m going back inside,” I said.

“Whaat? I thought we could have some fun.” Raven crossed his arms on top of the edge of the spring and I could see him paddling with his feet in the water.

“Dude, I understand you need to … I don’t know, use my libido to get power. You’re an incubus after all, but I’d prefer to not get ... too close with you. Also, I still haven't done any research.”

“What a shame. But in this case, I’m going inside as well.” He lifted himself completely out of the water and followed me inside.

We quickly got ourselves dry and after putting some light clothing on, I went to the main hall. The mansion was too big for me, and I still haven’t discovered every single room in this giant piece of housing. Without the help of Raven I would be lost in here.

“You wanted to do some research?” Raven asked me. His reddish hair was still wet, but he didn’t seem to mind it.

“Yes, surely a family of book freaks has a private library?” I asked.

“Of course. Follow me.”

We remained on the first of three floors, as he guided me through a corridor, with a double door on the left side. He opened that door.

The library was high enough to cover all of the floors of this mansion. Books were everywhere, shelves only sometimes interrupted by stairs leading to even more books.

“That’s … a bit extravagant.”

“My sister loved books, not only Grimoires. You know, when you’re alive for 500 years, you have lots of free time.”

“Where did she get the money from, though?”

“Umm, inheritance? That money, as well as the mansion was our parents, who got it from their parents. Though I really don’t know how it was enough for generations to pass.”

The reason I decided to visit the library, which is something I wouldn’t normally do, as I am not a great fan of books, was to do research on some things, that were weirdly off-putting.

“Humankind … went extinct.” I remembered Ebony saying that.

I was human, obviously, as that is, what the Grimoire said. But in that case, what were the others? Usually I'd just ask my Grimoire. Not this time though, as Shelly decided to keep it as a piece of evidence for Ebony’s trial, and because she figured it would be way to dangerous in the hands of someone like me. It did not matter though, as I was sure to find all the information needed in this huge library.

“So, where do I start?” I asked myself. The idea of reading through thousands of books was not very appealing to me.

“Just ask it, what you’re looking for.”

“Ask whom?”

“You know, the library. This one’s actually pretty nice, it’ll definitely help you out. I’ve stumbled upon some very … ill-mannered ones, over the past few years.”

I did not dare question this weird remark.

“So, um, I’m searching for some information on … humanity? I guess?”

What did that mean, I guess? I’m pretty sure, I want this information!

After asking that, I was pretty sure, I heard some murmuring coming from somewhere in this room. After a few seconds, this weird background noise toned down, and with a weird hiccup sound, dozens of books were released from their respective shelves, and landed before me, in an unorganized mess.

“Um … thanks a lot.”

“Don’t blame him, he’s gotten pretty old.”

“Well, putting that aside, let’s have a look at what we’ve got here.” I took a closer look at those books.

“Why is it, that you are so interested in humanity, I wonder?”

“Well, as your sister said, humankind appears to have gone extinct. But I am pretty sure I am human, so that’s why.” The Grimoire also confirmed it after all. I should have asked it directly, before it being taken away by the police, but it did not occur to me at that point.

I opened the first book. “You don’t happen to know anything, do you …” I asked Raven, just in case.

“Well, I know, that humankind did indeed exist, and that it doesn’t exist anymore but … I wasn’t that good at school, you know? Also, when you’re a couple of centuries old, you just happen to forget some things.”

“Well, as long as you have that body of yours, you won’t need education I suppose. Also, why the heck are you naked?”

“It’s in the middle of summer and pretty hot.”

“Could you please get yourself some clothes? You’re quite a distraction.”

“Sure master.”

He was without any doubt obedient, but god, he had some interesting quirks.

My research wasn’t really successful. I found out, that a race called humankind indeed existed in this world, but that was it. No information on their passing was to be found and also, I really wasn’t able to find any information on how I was different, compared to the others.

Come to think of it, what race would Princess Abc and Shelly be called? That would also hinder my research.

I could simply ask Raven about it or wait until I see my Grimoire again. Although Raven probably would only tell me their name and that would be it.

I realized it was getting late. Tomorrow would definitely be a busy day, so I figured it would be good to catch some sleep. Raven already showed me where I could sleep, when we arrived, so at least that room I knew exactly where to find.

“I wonder, if he will be making breakfast tomorrow.” I spoke out loud, as I walked through the door of the library.

“I hope he’s as good at cooking as he is at other things though …”